Memoirs Queensland Museum

VOLUME 49 PART 2

Memoirs of the Queensland Museum

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A Queensland Government Project Typeset at the Queensland Museum 740 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM

NEW DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT DATA FOR selection is similar to many of its congenitors which have also THE CARPENTARIAN FALSE ANTECHINUS been found predominantly on sandstone (Fisher et al., 2000; (PSEUDANTECHINUS MIMULUS). Memoirs of the Woolley, 1995a, 1995b). Upland rocky ranges that contain Queensland Museum 49(2): 740. 2004:- Pseudantechinus sandstone extend from the Edward Pellew Island group SE to mimulus was first described from a specimen collected from the Selwyn Ranges (Fisher et al., 2000). Alexandria (19803’S, 136842’E) in the Northern Territory Pseudantechinus mimulus is recognised as Vulnerable (Thomas, 1906). It was later synonymised by Mahoney & nationally (Maxwell et al., 1996) but does not have a Ride (1988) with P. macdonnellensis. However, 3 additional published status in Queensland. Systematic surveys of the Mt specimens collected in 1991 from the North Island of the Sir Isa area are required to fully determine the status of this Edward Pellew Island Group in the Northern Territory were species. used to redescribe the species (Kitchener, 1991). Further Acknowledgements surveys of the Edward Pellew Island Group collected animals from the Central and South West Islands (Johnson & Kerle, We thank Fiona Tromans who assisted in the field survey 1991). activities as well as Selwyn Mines who funded the survey. The animal was not known from Queensland until 1997 Literature Cited when 3 individuals of P.mimulus were collected east of Mt Isa FISHER, A., WOINARSKI, J.C.Z., CHURCHILL, S., TRAINOR, C., (T. Griffiths unpubl. data, 1997). In May 2002 we collected GRIFFITHS, A.D., PALMER, C. & COOPER, N. 2000. only the fourth animal known from Queensland. The animal Distribution of the rock-dwelling dasyurids Pseudantechinus was captured during a routine baseline survey 140km SE of bilarni and P. ningbing in the Northern Territory. Northern Mt Isa (21º 34’ S and 140º 29’ E) in the Selwyn Ranges and Territory Naturalist 16: 1-13. was lodge with the Queensland Museum (QMJM15044). JOHNSON, K. A. & KERLE, J. A. (eds) 1991. Flora and vertebrate The animal was captured on a standard small mammal bait fauna of the Sir Edward Pellew Group of Islands, Northern Territory. (Conservation Commission of the Northern mix in a Type A Elliot trap on the western side of the rocky Territory: Alice Springs). slope beneath a rocky outcrop. The capture site was KITCHENER, D. J. 1991. Pseudantechinus mimulus (Thomas, 1906) dominated by an understorey of spinifex grasses (Triodia (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae): rediscovery and rediscription. molesta and T. longiceps) in a region typified by an open Records of the Western Australian Museum 15: 191-202. woodland of Snappy Gum (Eucalyptus leucophloia). MAHONEY, J. A. & RIDE, W. D. L. 1988. Dasyuridae. Pp 14-33. In The geology at the capture site was a variably brecciated Zoological catalogue of Australia. Vol 5. Mammalia calc-silicate unit that consisted of coarse (approximately (Australian Government Publication service: Canberra). MAXWELL, S., BURBIDGE, A.A. & MORRIS, K. (eds) 1996. The 2mm) particles that readily crumbled under pressure. The 1996 action plan for Australian marsupials and monotremes. capture site was adjacent to disturbed land associated with the (Wildlife Australia: Canberra). construction of a new road. Furthermore, a recent fire had THOMAS, O. 1906. On mammals from northern Australia presented passed within close proximity, but had not burnt vegetation in to the National Museum by Sir Wm. Ingram, Bt., and the Hon. the immediate area. John Forrest. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London Little additional habitat data is available on P. mimulus. 2: 536-543. The collection location for the holotype, Alexandria Station, WOOLLEY, P.A. 1995a. Fat-tailed Pseudantechinus: Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis. Pp. 76-77. In Strahn, R. (ed). The mammals largely encompasses tussock grassland on blacksoil plains. of Australia. (Reed New Holland: Sydney). However, the area historically referred to as Alexandria is 1995b. Woolly’s Pseudantechinus: Pseudantechinus woolleyae. considerably larger than currently recognised and the precise Pp. 80-81. In Strahn, R. (ed). The mammals of Australia. (Reed location where the holotype was collected cannot be accurately New Holland: Sydney). determined (Fisher et al., 2000). Habitat data from individuals collected in Edward Pellew Mark G. Sanders & L. Slater, Suite 5b, 1 Swann Rd, Taringa Island Group suggest that P. mimulus is predominantly a 4068, Australia (e-mail: [email protected]); 8 August sandstone species. In this respect, the P. mimulus habitat 2003.